August fischer



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

A. FISCHER. TIME PIECE DIAL.

No. 403,338. Patented May 14, 1889.

WITNESSES: INVEN OR.

PH 5 Phma-Limogflpher, Wishmgiun n c (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

A. FISCHER. TIME PIECE DIAL. No. 403,338; Patented May 14, 1889.

WITNESSES: INVENT R.

434 fW l ,w 2 g I I r 1 ATTORNEY.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

A. FISCHER. TIME PIECE DIAL.

No. 403,338. Patented May 14, 1889.

N. PETERS. Pnaiu-Lflhngmpher. Washin wn. n c,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AUGUST FISCHER, OF IVIIITE HALL, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JAMES F. POTTS, OF SAME PLACE.

TIME-PIECE DIAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 403,338, dated May 14, 1889.

Application filed August 26, 1884. Serial No. 141,479. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern;

Be it known that 1, AUGUST FIsonER, of YVhite Hall, in the county of Greene and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Watches and Clocks; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in watches and clocks; and it consists, first, in the combination of a perforated outer disk or plate with a movable dial which is placed inside or under it, and which has figures marked upon. it from 1 to 24, and a small disk which has the figures 12 and 24, and which is shifted back and forth by an automatic mechanism; second, the combination of a movable dial with a small disk having but the hours 12 and it marked upon it, and which is moved once in every twelve hours, for the purpose of showing what the last hour was before the dial was shifted; third, in the combination, with a clock-movement, of the hour-wheel provided with a projection, two springs of unequal length which are operated thereby, and a mechanism which is operated by a spring of its own both for shifting the movable dial and the small disk which is used in connection therewith; fourth, the combination of a perforated dial, a movable disk having the hours from 1 to 24: marked thereon, and a mechanism connected to and 0perated by the works of the watch or clock for moving the disk every twelve hours, as will be more fully described hereinafter.

The object of my invention is to provide watches and clocks with a mechanism by means of which a dial having the hours marked upon it from 1 to 24 is moved every twelve hours, and at the same time to move a small disk which is used in connection with the dial for the purpose of showing what the last hour was before the large dial was shifted.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a clock embodying my invention. Figs, 2 and 3 are de tached views of the dial and the small disk used in connection with it. Figs. 4:, 5, (J, '7, and S are detail views of the mechanism by means of which the dial and the disk are moved. Fig. 9 is a rear view of the mechanism for shifting the disk and dial. Fig. 10 is a vertical section of the dial and disk, showing their relative positions.

A represents a disk, which has the minutes marked upon it as upon the ordinary dial, and which has twelve perforations, a, through its face, for the purpose of showing the hours which are marked upon the movable dial B and disk 0, which are placed just back of it.

' Upon this dial B the hours are marked from 1 to 24, the hours from 1 to 1.2 alternating between those from 153 to 21. The dial B is moved or partially rotated every twelve hours, so as to show the hours from 1 to 12 during the first half of the day and the hours from 13 to 2i during the last half.

In order to show the last hour that was displayed through the top opening of the disk A before the dial was shifted, I use a small disk, C, upon which the hours 12 and 2% alone are marked. During the first twel e hours of the day only the numbers from 1 to 12 are shown on the dial; but as soon as 19 is reached the dial is moved so as to bring the hours from 13 to 23 in view. The small disk does not move at the same time that the dial. moved, but remains in position until the hour-hand reaches 13, for the purpose of showing the last hour before the dial was changed. As soon as the hour-hand reaches 13, however, the disk is at once shifted, so as to bring into view, through the top opening in the perforated disk, the figure 2i. This 24 remains in view until the hour-hand has made a complete circuit of the dial. Vhen the hour-hand reaches 1, the dial shifts at once, so as to bring the hours from 1 to 11 in view. 2i remains in view until the hour-hand reaches 1 oclock, when the disk moves so as to bring figure 12 into view. By keeping the 24 in view one hour after that time, the last hour before the dial was shifted is shown.

I do not limit myself to any particular means or mechanism for shifting either the dial or the disk, for this may be done in differentways.

Connected to the disk 0 is an operatingarm, B, which has its lower end turned inward, as shown, and which lower end is connected with a shifting-lever, R, by means of 1 which the disk is moved.

Connected to the inner side of the dial is a projection, E, which is longer than the turned-out portion of the operating-arm B, and which part E connects with another shifting-lever, S, for the purpose of moving the dial every twelve hours. The dial B and the disk 0 are placed upon the same hub or pivotal point, and while the disk itself comes in front of the upper portion of the dial the lower end of the operating-arm'B extends down behind its lower portion, so as to make ready connection with the operating mechanism.

The hour-wheel F of the clock or watch is provided with a stud or projection, G, which, as the hour-hand sweeps around, comes in contact once every twelve hours with the two springs H I, of unequal length. These springs H I are attached at their outer ends to one side of the frame-work of the clock, and have their inner ends project inward, so as to be struck by the projection as the hourhafid sweeps around. The upper spring, H,

being shorter than the lower one, I, is operated first by the projection on the hour-hand, and then the longer spring, I, is operated at a later time. one hour after the dial has been shifted, the difference in length between the springs is just enough to have the second spring operated one hour after the shorter 011e, H, when the hour-hand sweeps around the projection G, catches upon the top of the upper spring, and bears both springs downward until the projection on the hour-hand passes beyond the end of the short spring H, when this j the movable dial, having the hours from 1 to spring flies upward with a jerk. The lower spring, 1, remains depressed until the hourwheel sweeps on around and carries the proj ection past it, when it also flies upward with a jerk. Connected to the upper spring, H, and passing down through an opening in the lower spring, I, is a hook, J, which catches under the arm K, which is connected to the flat spring L. Each time that either one of the springs H I flies upward the hook is made to exert just enough jerk or pull through the arm upon the spring L to raise it highenough to release one of the four arms N from. the

shoulder O, which is formed upon the under side of the spring L. Each time that the spring L is jerked upward the arm which was bearing against it slips oit from it and another one takes its place. These arms N are connected to the outer end of the shaft P, upon which the two cams or eccentrics Q are form ed. These cams or eccentrics are formed one back or below the other, and are arranged in relation to each other so that they will alternately" move the two slotted shifting-levers R S, in which they catch. The outer one, B, of these two levers is connected to the lower As it is desired to move the disk bent end of the operating arm or rod B ,which moves the disk, and the inner or longer one of the arms, S, moves the dial, the lower ends of both of the levers R S being notched, as

shown, so as to make connection with the parts which they move.

Placed loosely upon the shaft P, back or below the cams or eccentrics, is a flat piece of metal, U, as shown, which serves as a sort of vane or flutter to catch against the air, and thus prevent the shaft from being moved too rapidly. When one arm N slips off from the projection O on the under side of the shoulder on the spring L, this flutter serves to retard the movement of the shaft, and when the movement of the shaft is suddenly stopped by the arm striking against the shoulder this vane or flutter will turn for a short distance upon'the shaft for the purpose of breaking or easing the force which is applied to the shaft through the pinion U. operates this shifting mechanism, is placed upon a separate and distinct shaft, W, which is provided with a spur-wheel, X, to engage with the pinion. This spring is to be wound up separately when it is desired that the dial shall be shifted. lVhen it is desired to retain the dial so as to only show the hours from 1 to 24, this spring for operating the shifting mechanism will not be wound up.

The spring V, which g Having thus described my invention, I I

upon it from 1 to 24, with a movable disk which has the hours 12 and 24 alone marked upon it, and a mechanism for moving both the dial and the disk every twelve hours, substantially as shown.

2. In a watch or clock, the combination of 24: marked thereon, with a disk which is used in connection therewith and which has the hours 12 and 24.- marked upon it, the disk being provided with an operating-arm, the dial and the disk being connected to the operating mechanism which moves the disk and the dial at different periods every twelve hours, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with a movable dial haying the hours from 1 to 24 marked upon it; of a spring, the hour-hand provided with a projection, the hook which is connected to this spring, the spring L, provided with an arm to engage with the hook and a shoulder, the revolving arms which engage with the shoulder, a shaft, the cams or eccentrics placed upon the shaft, the operating-levers, and a spring, substantially as set forth.

4:. The combination of the movable dial and the disk with the two springs H I, of unequal,

length, the hour-wheel provided with a proj ection, a spring, L, provided with a shoulder, and the mechanism connected with the spring L for shifting the dial and the disk at different periods, substantially as specified.

5. The combination, with a stationary dial or shield having perforations at the hourpoints, of a movable dial or disk having a double set of numbers or figures, only one set of which can be seen through the perforation on the dial or shield, and adapted to be automatically shifted every twelve hours, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

AUGUST FISCHER.

itnesses:

F. A. LEHMANN, A. S. PATTISON. 

